Respond, evolve, thrive

We are living through an unprecedented moment in higher education.

For years, we could treat change as a series of manageable adjustments: a new program here, a refreshed curriculum there. But the forces pressing on colleges and universities today require institutions that wish to survive to reinvent themselves.

The University of Dayton will respond, evolve and thrive.

As provost, I feel the weight of that responsibility. I also feel genuine excitement — because I see faculty and staff leaning in with creativity, seriousness and hope. The story I want our alumni, parents and campus community to hear is a story guided by mission and energized by the Marianist charism.

We have already announced some of the changes that are positioning the University for the coming decade — developing new programs, sunsetting those that no longer meet student needs, and gradually optimizing our undergraduate enrollment to be more in line with demographic trends and a student body size from more than a decade ago.

In coming months, we will share a bold and deliberate plan that will align our academic offerings with student interests, employer and community needs, and University mission. It’s been hard work, requiring contributions and ideas from every segment of our University. We are strengthening decision-making with better data in the hands of faculty, deans and department chairs. We are doubling down on student success, because the next era requires us to be even more intentional about how we help each student thrive.

You will see us expand experiential learning — building increased organizational capacity, fostering more industry and community partnerships, creating clearer bridges between undergraduate and graduate education, and developing credentials that help students build momentum without sacrificing depth.

You will see us continue to refine our academic portfolio with an eye on the jobs of the future and the needs of society. We are engaging with AI in ways that ensure students develop skills without expiration dates, no matter the next emerging technology, with a strong foundation in humanities and the liberal arts.

You will also see us leverage a distinctive advantage that few universities can claim: onMain and the unparalleled research and partnership ecosystem connected to the University of Dayton Research Institute. This radically collaborative work creates opportunities for students and faculty, strengthening the region and ensuring our programs remain relevant and excellent.

What will remain the same is our commitment to a Catholic, Marianist education. We will continue to offer a superior experience that educates for formation in faith; in the family spirit; for service, justice and peace; and for adaptation and change. We will embrace and amplify the things we do best: prepare students to walk, run, fly and soar, so they will be compassionate servant-leaders in the communities where they alight.

We are evolving with purpose. We are protecting what is essential. We are innovating where we must. And we are doing it the UD way — rooted in our Catholic, Marianist mission; committed to community; and determined to form graduates ready for a world that needs both competence and conscience.

Even amid uncertainty — geopolitical volatility, enrollment pressures and the massive question marks around how AI will disrupt work and learning — I observe more hope and more partnership. Our extraordinary faculty and staff are working together to fight for every student and to advance our mission. Not everyone agrees on every decision, but everyone is moving forward with student success as the priority.

Our alumni are not just supporters in the background. They are a crucial part of our strength — recruiting students, providing internships, championing the University within their networks.

This fall, you will hear more about the next steps in our strategic future. For now, I want you to hear the heart of it: We are evolving with purpose. We are protecting what is essential. We are innovating where we must. And we are doing it the UD way — rooted in our Catholic, Marianist mission; committed to community; and determined to form graduates ready for a world that needs both competence and conscience.

Photo by Sylvia Stahl.

A version of this article appears in print in the Summer 2026 University of Dayton Magazine, Page 15. EXPLORE THE ISSUE — MORE ONLINE